It has been decreed that we may not buy alcohol anywhere – not in a bar, a restaurant, bottle store, tavern, shebeen or a tasting room – until at least 15 February 2021. It’s not a popular decision on the part of the government, and it’s devastating the restaurant and wine industries.
Privately, the black market is thriving and not in a particularly undercover way; WhatsApp groups and websites are openly trading with massively inflated prices (obviously). Restaurants have their liquor licences on the line, so sticking to the rules is their only option.
As consumers, we have some choices: stay at home with our own wine and order in; eat out at an early bird hour without alcohol; or find places that are doing creative and thoughtful pairings.